🇨🇦 Canada Passport Photo Requirements (2026 Guide)

Photo Dimensions

Canadian passport photos must be 50 mm wide x 70 mm tall (1.97 x 2.76 inches). This is a rectangular portrait format that is taller than the US square and wider than the European 35x45mm standard. For digital submissions, the resolution should be 591 x 827 pixels at 300 DPI.

Background Requirements

The background must be white or off-white, plain and uniform with no shadows or patterns. The background must contrast with the subject's skin tone and clothing.

Face and Expression

A neutral expression with mouth closed is required. No smiling. Your face must be centred, with both ears visible. The head height must be 31-36 mm from chin to crown. Both eyes must be open and clearly visible, looking directly at the camera. The head must be straight, not tilted or turned.

Glasses

Glasses are not allowed in Canadian passport photos. The rule changed in 2016 — prescription frames, reading glasses, sunglasses, and tinted lenses must all be removed. The only narrow exception is a documented medical condition that makes removing your glasses dangerous, supported by a signed note from your medical practitioner. (Note: Canadian visa photos use a separate specification that still permits non-tinted prescription glasses — do not confuse the two.)

Head Coverings

Head coverings are not allowed unless worn for religious or medical reasons. If worn, the full face must remain visible from the bottom of the chin to the top of the forehead. Both ears must still be visible.

Photo Recency

Photos must have been taken within the last 6 months and must accurately reflect your current appearance.

Ear Visibility

Canada is one of the few countries that specifically requires both ears to be visible. Hair can be behind the ears but must not cover them. This is a common rejection point for applicants with longer hairstyles.

Canadian Passport Fee Schedule

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and the Passport Program publish fees in Canadian dollars for applications submitted in Canada, and in Canadian dollars (or local-currency equivalent) for applications submitted at a mission abroad. A fee adjustment took effect on March 31, 2026, and an annual indexed increase is now built into the schedule.

Fees last verified May 2026 against the Passport and travel document fee changes notice on canada.ca/passport. A lost or stolen passport carries no separate penalty in Canada — you simply pay the full fee again for a new booklet. Express pick-up (2–9 business days) does not have a separate stand-alone fee; it is included with the standard application when offered at the office. Always confirm the current rate on canada.ca before paying.

Where to Apply in Canada

The Passport Program is administered by Service Canada on behalf of IRCC. There are three main in-person channels in Canada, plus mail-in and (for eligible renewals) an online channel.

• Passport offices (Service Canada Centres — Passport Services): 35+ dedicated passport offices across the country offer the full range of services including urgent and express pick-up. Major locations include Toronto, Montréal, Vancouver, Calgary, Ottawa, Edmonton, Halifax, Winnipeg, and Québec City. These offices can produce a passport by the next business day with urgent service.
• Regular Service Canada Centres: Over 300 Service Canada Centres across Canada accept passport applications. They cannot produce passports on-site — applications are forwarded to the Passport Program for printing — so processing is the standard 20 business days.
• Receiving agents: A network of designated receiving agents (including certain Canada Post locations under a multi-year agreement) accept completed passport applications, verify identity documents, and forward them to the Passport Program. They do not issue passports directly.
• Mail-in: Completed applications can be mailed to the Passport Program at Gatineau, Québec (the central production facility). Processing is 20 business days plus mailing time at each end.
• Online renewal: Since April 2026, eligible adult renewals can be submitted entirely online through an IRCC account. Eligibility is limited (you must be applying for your own adult passport, both addresses must be in Canada, your current passport must be valid or expired no more than one year, with no name or biographical changes). The system was capped at 1,500 applications per day at launch while performance is monitored.

Applying at Canadian Missions Abroad

Canadians outside Canada apply through a Canadian embassy, high commission, or consulate. The mission verifies your identity and forwards the application to the Passport Program in Gatineau for printing — the booklet is then shipped back to the mission or to you, which adds shipping time on both ends. Government of Canada offices in the United States do not offer regular in-person passport services; US-resident Canadians mail their applications to a designated Canadian processing centre and use the missions only for urgent or emergency cases.

• United States: Embassy of Canada in Washington, DC; Consulates General in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Detroit, and other cities. Regular passport processing is by mail to Canada; missions handle urgent cases.
• United Kingdom: High Commission of Canada at Canada House, Trafalgar Square, London.
• Australia: High Commission of Canada in Canberra.
• India: High Commission in New Delhi and Consulates General in Mumbai and other cities.
• China: Embassy of Canada in Beijing, Consulates General in Shanghai, plus the Consulate General in Hong Kong.
• Philippines: Embassy of Canada in Manila.
• Mexico: Embassy of Canada in Mexico City.

Because abroad applications are printed in Gatineau and shipped, total turnaround is typically several weeks longer than an equivalent in-Canada application. Confirm submission requirements with your nearest mission before mailing anything — fees, payment methods, and accepted couriers vary by country.

Processing Times

The Passport Program publishes service standards based on where and how you apply. Effective April 1, 2026, IRCC also operates a "30 days or free" guarantee: if a complete application takes more than 30 business days to process (excluding mailing time), the passport fee is refunded.

Peak season runs from March through July, when summer-travel demand pushes wait times to the upper end of each band and same-day or next-day urgent service can fill up at popular offices. Booking an appointment ahead of time, or arriving at the office at opening, is strongly advised during these months.

Top Reasons Canadian Passport Photos Get Rejected

The Passport Program and IRCC apply some of the strictest photo standards of any G7 country. Two unusual rules drive most Canada-specific rejections: photos must be taken by a commercial photographer who stamps the back of one print, and eyeglasses have been prohibited since 2016. The most common rejection reasons are:

1. No photographer's stamp or handwritten certification on the back. One of the two photos must have the photographer's name, studio address, and the date the photo was taken stamped or handwritten directly on the back. Stick-on labels are not accepted. A self-taken photo or one printed at home will be rejected for this reason alone.
2. Wearing eyeglasses. Canada banned glasses in passport photos in 2016 — prescription frames, reading glasses, and sunglasses must all be removed. Only a documented medical exception (with a signed note) is allowed.
3. Background is not plain white or light-coloured uniform. Any pattern, texture, gradient, or off-tint will be rejected. Pure white is the safest choice; the background must contrast with your hair, skin, and clothing.
4. Wrong head height. The face from chin to crown must measure between 31 mm and 36 mm. Heads too large or too small fail automatic checks.
5. Smiling or non-neutral expression. Mouth must be closed and expression neutral. Visible teeth or a smile will trigger rejection.
6. Eyes not open or not clearly visible. Both eyes must be open, looking straight at the camera, with no hair, frames, or shadows across the eye area.
7. Shadows on the face or behind the head. Even lighting is required. Side-lit photos that throw a shadow on the wall behind you, or down one side of the face, are a top rejection cause.
8. Ears or head covering issues. Both ears must be visible (hair pulled behind). Religious or medical head coverings are permitted provided the full face from chin to forehead is clearly visible and no shadows are cast on the face.
9. Printed on the wrong paper. Photos must be on photo-quality paper. Standard inkjet or laser printer paper, glossy magazine-style paper, or heavyweight cardstock will all be rejected.
10. Two photos that are not identical, or no guarantor signature on the back. Two identical original prints are required. For new passport applications (not simplified renewals), a guarantor must sign the back of one photo with the statement "I certify this to be a true likeness of [applicant name]". Missing this signature is a frequent reason new-passport applications are returned.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do Canadian passport photos require a photographer's stamp?

The Passport Program requires verification that the photo was taken by a third party at a known place and time, not generated, edited, or composited. The photographer's name, studio address, and the date stamped or handwritten on the back of one of the two prints provides that audit trail. Stick-on labels are not accepted, and IRCC explicitly prohibits AI-generated, filtered, or digitally altered photos — the stamp is part of how that rule is enforced.

Can I use the same photo for both copies?

The two photos must be identical original prints from the same session — same pose, same lighting, same paper. They are not "copies" in the sense of scanning and reprinting. One of the two will be signed on the back by your guarantor (for first-time and standard applications) and by the photographer; the other is left unsigned and is the one affixed inside the booklet.

Are glasses allowed?

No. Eyeglasses have been prohibited in Canadian passport photos since 2016. This applies to prescription frames, reading glasses, and sunglasses alike. The only narrow exception is a documented medical condition that makes removing your glasses dangerous — in which case a signed note from your medical practitioner must accompany the application. (Note: Canadian visa photos still allow non-tinted prescription glasses, which is a different specification.)

What is the role of the guarantor and what do they sign?

For first-time adult passports and standard (non-simplified) renewals, a guarantor must vouch that you are who you claim to be. The guarantor must have known you personally for at least two years, be a Canadian citizen, and (under current rules) hold or have recently held a valid Canadian passport. They sign the back of one of your two photos with the statement "I certify this to be a true likeness of [your name]" and complete the corresponding section of the application form. The simplified renewal stream (form PPTC 054) does not require a guarantor.

Are religious head coverings (hijab, turban, kippah) permitted?

Yes. Head coverings worn for religious or medical reasons are permitted in Canadian passport photos. The full face — from the bottom of the chin to the top of the forehead, and across both cheek edges — must remain clearly visible, and the covering must not cast shadows onto the face. Both ears must still be visible unless they are obscured by the religious covering itself, in which case partial visibility is accepted.

Can a Canadian passport be renewed by mail or online?

Yes. Mail-in renewal has long been available through the Passport Program in Gatineau, Québec, with a standard service time of 20 business days plus mailing. Since April 2026, eligible adult renewals can also be submitted fully online through an IRCC account: you must be renewing your own adult passport, your home and mailing addresses must be in Canada, your current passport must be valid or expired no more than one year, and you must not be changing your name or biographical details. The online stream was launched with a daily cap (1,500 applications per day at rollout) while performance is monitored.

How Canada Compares to the US

Common Mistakes

• Ears covered by hair: The most common Canada-specific rejection. Pull hair behind both ears before taking the photo.
• Using US dimensions: Canada's 50x70mm format is rectangular, not square like the US 2x2 inch format.
• Smiling: Canada requires a strictly neutral expression with mouth closed. No smiling, even slight.
• Wrong head size: The head height from chin to crown must be between 31-36mm. Too large or too small will be rejected.
• Shadows on background: Ensure even lighting to eliminate all shadows behind you.